On Sept. 27, Gastonia police confirmed that the body of a boy had been found in a marshy area of Long Creek, but could not confirm the body's identity at the time.

The city decided to pull together to do something special for Kirnan, and to recognize his contributions to their community with more than a nickname.

Police have said the investigation is not over with finding the body of Maddox Ritch.

If anyone has any information about Maddox Ritch’s whereabouts, they are urged to call the Gastonia, North Carolina, police tip line at 704-869-1075.

After struggling through the initial loss she's experienced, though, she has a message for the world, and especially for other parents.

Birthdays offer as much opportunity for sadness as they do glee. In fact, the only thing worse than a miserable birthday is throwing a party and not having a single soul show up. But that’s exactly what happened to one 9-year-old autistic boy.

A tearful Dana explained that they'd just pulled rocks and other debris from her son's eye.

Rebecca Griffiths’ two-year-old son Reggie had begun to exhibit some odd behaviors. 'At first, they thought it was autism,' she explained. But it wasn’t. It was something far worse.

'This young man took the time to slow down and allow Jack Ryan to help for over 30 minutes, guiding him as he finished his task.'

But when the big day came, the turnout was much lower than Bradley and his dad expected.